Veterans Affairs Committee on Feb. 13th, 2007

[Brent St. Denis, Liberal, Algoma—Manitoulin—Kapuskasing, ON]

Would it be possible for Michel to make a little chart, as he did before, saying which witness has already talked about it, so we're not asking them to come back unless, as Bev suggests, they have something new to add? If there's nothing new, they're done. We'd really only be asking those to come who have never mentioned it. And I like David's idea. There's no problem having four or five participants in a panel setting. Limit them to five or six minutes each. It's not a huge subject.

Then we can get into post-traumatic stress disorder.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

All right, we have a plan on that. So I think that kind of wraps up the discussion.

Now that I have the latest, final version of the foreword, I'd like to just read it. I'd also like to indicate that we want to add Mr. Lévesque to the list. Mind you, I think what's going to happen is that the clerk will look after the list of the members who have participated. Fair enough.

So the way it would read is:

In the spring of 2006, the Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs undertook its study on the creation of a veterans' ombudsman office. Over the past year, the committee heard from an extensive list of witnesses. The committee visited care facilities to see first-hand how our veterans are supported. Throughout the process, the enormous sacrifices our veterans have made were brought home again and again.

An ombudsman would give our veterans an advocate, someone to help them obtain the best services possible. Here is a list of recommendations that reinforce this premise. Support for this report is unanimous and stands as testimony to how parliamentarians can work together.

I would like to thank all the witnesses who have appeared before the committee. Thanks also to the members of the committee for their hard work. A special thanks to the clerk of the committee and the researcher....

I thought we wanted to mention specifically the names. We want to make sure that you guys have your names mentioned. So it will provide that.

A special thanks to the clerk of the committee and the researcher who compiled this report. Their hard work and assistance is appreciated by all. Lest we forget

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

You wrote that? Great!

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

No, actually it was Jeff. He deserves full credit.

So that's the way that will sound. We'll make sure to include Mr. Lévesque, and I want to make sure we have the names of our researcher and clerk in there.

I think that's about it.

Yes, Monsieur Perron.

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Mr. Chair, I don't know whether the subject is appropriate. Last Thursday, when we were out walking, I told you about a project of interest to me. I propose to go meet with the Veterans Committee people in Prince Edward Island. This is a personal project that I'm telling the committee about. Why not make it a tourist, information and meeting trip, and go and put faces to the names of the people we regularly talk to. I'm ready to use one of the points that are allotted to me for my travel as an MP to go there.

I have another, really ridiculous and stupid suggestion to make. When time permits, why don't we go and meet, as we did in the case of the Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue Hospital... We could check and see how things are going, and whether the people are good there, without it being an official trip. I think we have a duty to go and meet these people, at least to provide them with our support and to tell them that we appreciate the work they're doing for Canada's veterans or to suggest improvements to them. I'm not making this a motion, but rather a topic for discussion, since the meeting is coming to an end.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

I certainly don't oppose that. I know we talked about that previously, outside in a non-committee context at the unveiling.

I am wondering, Monsieur Perron, if maybe a trip to Prince Edward Island is something...maybe after the witnesses on PTSD.

[Gilles-A. Perron, Bloc, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Some time.

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

I think we are all amenable to that. I am guessing.

Maybe after the witnesses you want to hear on PTSD, and then.... Yes? Is that fair? Okay.

I think that pretty much takes care of business.

At that, I will call the meeting adjourned.

[Peter Stoffer, NDP, Sackville—Eastern Shore, NS]

Do we have everything planned for Thursday?

[The Chair, Conservative, Rob Anders]

It looks as though we are going to try to get Victor Marchand.

The meeting is adjourned.